Two new Marco council members elected, recount pits two incumbents

KELLY FARRELL

8:58 PM, Jan 26, 2010

12:11 AM, Jan 27, 2010

Bill Duncan, Vice President of the Marco Island Taxpayers' Association, introduces the four Marco City Council candidates vying for three open council seats in the 2010 election. Duncan, far right, was the emcee of the forum hosted by MITA at Mackle Park Friday night. The candidates, left to right, are Joe Batte, incumbent Ted Forcht, incumbent Chuck Kiester and Larry Magel.

Christine Harrison, Special to the Eagle

MARCO ISLAND - Marco Island is getting two new members to join the current City Council, but who will occupy a third seat remains uncertain.

Larry Magel was the clear winner Tuesday night, nabbing 26 percent of Marco Island voters' approval. Preliminary results showed Magel and Joe Batte won with 3,745 and 3,535 votes, respectively, while there was a difference of nine votes between incumbents Chuck Kiester and Ted Forcht for the third seat.

Kiester was ahead 3,481 to 3,472.

"The only thing surprising to me is that the two incumbents are so close to require a recount," Magel said, adding that he believed voters were looking for a change.

Batte was with his "brothers," the Marco Island Knights of Columbus when he learned he had won. A round of applause and hugs followed. He called his wife, Anna, who told him he had won his second-place seat by about 55 votes.

"I am obviously humbled," he said. "I think the people of Marco Island have sent the message to the current council and city that they are looking for representatives who are looking out for them. I think the vote showed that the people reached out to the candidates who would care for the folks."

The turnout was high for a municipal election with 48 percent of voters, or 6,107 of those 12,642 registered, mailed or delivered their ballots.

"There's going to be a recount," Kiester told his supporters at a private party upstairs at the Bombay Club on Tuesday night.

Before the initial results became available, Forcht said no matter the outcome he'd like to see the development by council of an intelligent tax and expense strategy.

"(It would be) one that we can take through the good times and the bad times," Forcht said. "Saving money during the real estate boom, which is going to be coming, and that we plan projects for when we have money ... and have the ability to cut projects when money is tight."

The recount will occur at a public meeting of the Collier County Supervisor of Elections canvassing board at 9 a.m. Thursday at 3301 U.S. 41 East in Building C-2.

Chief Deputy Supervisor of Elections Tim Durham said the canvassing board, including Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards, Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala and Collier County Judge Rob Crown, will be looking at ballots with either too many or too few votes marked.

Seven amendments to the City Charter also were on the ballot.

Voters approved council term limits, creating a lifetime maximum of eight years, but rejected a proposed increase of current council salaries.

Voters also said "no" to a proposed change in the spending cap, which currently limits council to approving a budget increase of no more than 3 percent plus the cost-of-living than was spent the prior year.